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Author
Topic: Some advice please... (Read 7521 times)

Hello there... On November 25th, I had sex vaginal sex with a guy I have been talking to. We started off with protection, however, somewhere along the line he took it off, and I didn't notice until he was done... I know, how did I not know...

Well, on December 3, I started getting a sore throat, by the next morning I was completely stuffed up, cough, sore throat and coughing up icky stuff.. With a tempature of 99.5, never anything over that .. since I worry about stuff like this I started looking online at STD's... I now have myself so convinced that I have HIV. I started getting symptoms 10 days later which I have read is ARS.. I have been tested for the STD's I can be tested for now, and my last HIV test was in June of this year.. which was negative along with everything else.

I have read some of your threads stating that people seroconvert around 22 days.. I guess what I am asking is if I take a test at 7 weeks and it comes out negative, is there a good chance it will stay that way?? I asked they guy about his status and he said he gets checked every March/April, as he is in the military... and I said... Should I be worried and he just gave me the same answer as above... and then later texted me "I am sorry, I did test positive... for Sexy..." this is a joking matter.. I am really am just scared.. and with me being a girl who practices safe sex.. and then getting sick in the timeframe.. I have myself so worked up.. My arms are aching, I can't sleep, focus at work, and I have withdrawn from my friends...

Yes, it is true that the average time to seroconversion is 22 days. All but the smallest number of those who are going to seroconvert will do so within 4-6 weeks. So a negative result at 7 weeks is very encouraging although it should be confirmed with a test again at 13 weeks.

Symptoms will not tell you anything. They have too many causes so even though your mind may scare you about them, they are totally unreliable as a means of knowing your HIV status. If you have troubling symptoms that's something to discuss with your doctor.

You had a single unprotected incident in which you were apparently protected for a part of the time. That increases the odds in your favor that you will test negative. No matter what the guy says about his status or any future partner for that matter, a condom is a must everytime. No exceptions. And you need your own negative test result to be sure.

Stay productively busy during the waiting period and it will pass more quickly than you may imagine is possible.

Thank you for your advice... however, I find myself at a place I never thought I would be... I am so consumed with this that I am not sleeping, eating... I still have a stuffy nose, sore throat and cough, and its been a week. I am so afraid... I scheduled a test with a clinic for a Rapid test at 26 days.. depending on how it goes from there I will retest again.. I know this is irrational, but I am just so afraid.. I always use condoms and get tested regulary, because nothing is fool proof... Do ARS symptoms linger? or do they all come at once and leave at once. I have a very mild sore throat, and my stuffy nose is getting almost gone.. and my temp was never over 99.5.... Please any help would be great right now.. I just need some guidence..

ARS comes together and then it's over. You don't get one symptom and then another. Commonly they last a week or two. However, symptoms or a lack of them is never the way to know anything reliably about your HIV status.

Only an HIV test done at 13 weeks will give you a conclusive answer to that question. So if you do a rapid when you are planning to and it's negative, that's good but it is too early to be considered conclusive.

What you need to do is to get productively busy and the waiting time for a conclusive result will pass more quickly than you imagine possible. If your symptoms persist discuss them with your doctor. There is absolutely nothing HIV specific about what you have described.

You also need to learn from this experience. You can have all the sex you want to with as many different partners as you care to. But the guy has to be wearing a condom throughout everytime. NO EXCEPTIONS! As they say, no glove, no love! Really. This is your life we're talking about.

Thank you, I will try to stay busy and get off the internet... I can't express to you how much your help means to me... thank you... just one last question though... does the ARS start 9 days after? would it be cold like? I had a stuffy/runny nose, sore throat and cough.. nothing else.. and temp of only 99.5 that I measured.. It seemed like just a cold.. just asking... I scheduled and appt to take a test at 6 weeks.. the earliest you should take it.. thank you again...

Can some one please help me.... its been 25 days now since my unprotected exposure, I am finally over my "cold" but on Sunday I noticed 4 red bumps on my side, everyone says they are probably bug bites.. I went online and looked up and saw Molluscum, and it sorta looked like that and they say people with HIV have this... I am having a nervous breakdown, I can't believe that I let myself get in this situation. if i test on friday it will be 4 weeks after the incident. Would this be a good starting point, or should I just wait until the 4th.... I am going nuts... pleas help me..

Nothing you are describing symptomatically in any way seems HIV specific to me, but then neither the presence nor the absence of symptoms is ever the way to know HIV status.

Now you're in that crazed HIV jitters mindset so ANYTHING that happens is being misinterpreted as confirmation of your worst fears. You can test at 4 weeks. A negative result is always a happy thing. But it will not be definitive but go ahead and do it if that will help you to get through.

As I have said previously, odds are definitely in your favor you're going to come out of this ok.

I took my 6 week test and it was non-reactive. With have Thrush and my being sick for almost a month with back to back colds.. does that make a difference on my test? Does that mean my immune system is depleted not to show it??

Oh, boy! Your mind is just working overtime to no good purpose with scaring you.

Neither thrush nor anything else you have mentioned would prevent you from getting a reliable test result.

Now read this carefully: The average time to seroconversion is 22 days. All but the very smallest number of those who are going to seroconvert will do so within 4-6 weeks. So your negative at 6 weeks is more than a little encouraging. The likelihood is you will continue to test negative at 13 weeks.

Now, get productively busy with other matters in your life and you will find the remaining weeks will pass more quickly than you imagine to be possible. Really.

No, the two days does not make a huge difference. It's highly unlikely you'll go on to test positive after the negative result you've already had. If the symptoms you've been experiencing had anything to do with seroconversion illness, you would have had an indeterminate or positive result at that point. Remember, the average time to seroconversion and testing positive is only 22 days.

I fully expect you to continue to test hiv negative. Confirm at three months and keep yourself busy in the meantime.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Hi there.. I took a 10 week test and it to came back Non-Reactive, however, I am once again sick with a sore throat and minor cold... I know that Ms. Ann advised that I should be fine because of my previous tests, but I am still worried with me getting sick a lot and I have a few nodes enlarged under my jawline... So my 10 week test is a really good sign my 13 week will be negative?

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I am a little confused. I went to see my primary doctor yesterday about my sore throat, which I seem to keep getting. And I asked him about my 10 week test, and he said that testing before 3 months shows nothing, and that the final test is in 6 months. Now I am starting to doubt my 10 week test. I was so relieved especially after Ann said it most likely wouldn't change. Is my Dr. in the dark ages still? Can I still feel pretty confident in my 10 week not changing?

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I am so sorry to keep bugging you, I am just scared out of my mind. Like I mentioned before I keep getting sore throats with no other symptoms. And now for the past week I have been waking up in the middle of the night with my arms/legs aching extremely bad.

This Thurs will be 13 weeks for me and I can take my conclusive test... have you ever seen anyone with a REAL risk turn positive after a negative 6 week and 10 week test? I am afraid that with all these symptoms its going to change.

I really am sorry to take up your time, just hoping for some reassurance...

Nothing you are throwing into the mix changes my expectation that you will test negative. Sore throats and whatever -- if they persist that's something to discuss with your doctor and certainly nothing which is in any way suggestive of HIV. Really.

Keep breathing, stay busy for the remaining waiting time and then you can collect your negative result. Really.

I wanted to thank you all for your help, I know I have been a little crazy... I went yesterday morning and took my confirming test (89 days that's when I could get in to see him), my Dr. also ran me for all other STD's and so far all but my HIV and HEP have come back. The others were all negative. I am sick to my stomach with worry, is there anyway those Rapid Tests were wrong.... Would I keep getting symptoms and then they go away or am I seroconverting late?? I am hoping to get the results by Friday, but most likely Mon. Once again thank you...

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I got my test back.... NEGATIVE (87days) .. thank you for all your support.. I can't thank you enough... May god bless you and keep you all safe... You are truely doing a wonderful service to people, even though WE all can get crazy .. So with my sore throat and all I am going to take my negative and run ... THANK YOU.. and God Bless...

I really hate to bother you guys, but I am just a little worried still.. I got a test at 87 days, is that sufficent enough? Its 4 days shy of the full 91 days.. The reason I am asking is, I still have a sore throat with white stuff.. One Dr. says its Thrush the other says its just a sore throat. I read up on Thrush and they say people with Immune problems have this, then I start to wonder about my test. Is there something wrong with me where it would take longer. I am exhausted lately, and with the sore throat just worn down. I have been sick off an on since the first of December, I am just trying to figure out the problem. Lord knows my Dr. isn't really helping me much... Any help would be great.

The official window period in the UK where I live is twelve weeks. You tested over twelve weeks. We use the same tests they do in the States - it's just a matter of differences of opinion of whether three months is twelve or thirteen weeks.

You ARE hiv negative and it's time you moved on with your life. Keep working with your doctor about your sore throat - whatever is causing it has nothing to do with hiv.

You ARE hiv negative.

If you keep coming back to question your conclusive hiv negative status, you will be given a time out. Please consider yourself warned.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I am sorry... thank you for all your help.... After running some blood work on Monday they found out I have Epstein Barr Virus, so Mono.... I know you warned me about asking about my status, however, just for a peace of mind and I willl be done, can that virus interfer with testing? You really have no idea how much you and Andy have helped me. Thank you... from the bottom of my heart.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I know I know you warned me. But I have an honest question. When my retarded Dr. diagnosed me with Ebstien Barr Virus, he failed to tell me it was a past, prior infection. So I missed understood him.. Now 8 weeks into the sore throat they have no idea what is wrong with me, and I keep getting these sores inside my mouth that last a day, not canker sores. He is know telling me I need to be run for HIV again. That between the sore throat and the sores he is leaning in that direction. I mean I didn't start getting sick until 11 weeks after my incident. I wouldn't bother you, but my Dr. doesn't seem to know whats wrong and is reaching for things. I have actually requested a new Dr. Any help would be great. Thank you.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts